Our state WAP (weatherization) office has been impletmenting more and more thorough requiements for electrical system testing. The procedure for voltage drop testing is completely ridiculous. We employ home energy auditors, not electricians. Does anyone know of a credible way to meet electrical evaulation requirements pertaining to heat sources relative to weatherization and performed by non-electricians?

Thanks!!

Re:Detecting Voltage Drop and other Electrical Heat Sources

IRJay

9/13/2010

Think of all electrical problems as a heat source and an inefficiency. The amount of heat is very dependent on the amperage going through those components. No current - no heat. Low current - low heat. Now take a residence and the problem comes from not having much current or load on the wires and the components to produce that heat to image. The other problem becomes that the wires and devices are hidden in the structure and hard or impossible to image. For instance, voltage drop condition will produce heating on the wire (usually undersized). This is an increase of resistance of those wires to the current. But is there enough current to heat the wire and then is the wire in a position to be imaged. Very tough to evaluate in the short time your crews have in a audit. The loads would have to be present or introduced to "load" those circuits to the point of being heated.
Having electrical knowledge on top of the thermography and camera experience is big advantage.
If I can be of more help, feel free to email me at jay.bowen@infraredtraining.com